Fastening device



Oct. 26,` 1937. A. J. STOCK 2,097,051

. FASTENING DEVICE Filed sept.A 4, 1954 40 L.A 6' 2 5 L9 I N VEN TOR.

BY /mf W4 A'TTORNEY5 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 NHTE FASTENENG DEVICE Application September 4, 1934, Serial No. 742,525

8 Claims.

This invention relates to fastening devices, and more particularly to devices which fasten articles together by means of deformable retainers, such as metal staples and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved fastening means by which relatively heavy materials may be secured together.

Another object is to provide an improved fastening means which will be simple in construction.

Another object is to provide an improved fastening means which will be efficient in operation.

Another object is to provide an improved fastening means which may be easily used.

Another object is to provide an improved fastening means whereby heavy fastening devices may be applied with comparatively little effort.

@ther objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be better understood from the description of one practical embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a device designed for applying staples to heavy sheet material such as roofing;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus of Figure l taken on line II--II thereof Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2, showing the device with its parts in the positions they occupy prior to driving a staple.

Figure e is a View similar to Figure 3, showing the parts in positions they occupy during the driving operation; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 4.

The device illustrated consists of a flat base or shoe l, having its front end bevelled as indicated at 2 for easy insertion between the sheets of material, and formed adjacent this bevelled end with curved die surfaces 3 for turning the points of the staple inwardly and clinching it on the under side of the material.

Secured to the base or shoe is a frame con- Secured to the horizontal flanges by machine screws l@ is the upper part Il of the frame, this being a generally channel-shaped bracket-like member provided at itsv front end with an upwardly extending flange l2 to which the driving mechanism may be secured. A web i3 is interposed between this ilange and the web of the channel-shaped part of the upper frame part to stiffen the same.

Slidable upon the two upwardly extending flanges 8 of the lower frame part, and between these flanges and the interior of the upper frame part, is a follower Ill. This follower consists of a sheet metal channel-shaped piece having side flanges l5 and a top flange lli from the latter of which depends a short front flange l1 and a longer, apertured rear flange i8. The short front flange il is arranged to contact a plate I9 fastened to the frame at its forward end and which serves to limit the motion of the follower toward the front end of the machine so that it cannot move into the path of the plunger which drives the staples. This plate also serves as a shear plate to separate the staples from each other and takes the wear which would otherwise come upon the end of the frame. It is preferably of harder material than the frame, which can conveniently be of such light material as aluminum alloy.

A rod 2S extends through the aperture in flange i3 and is provided on its inner end with a pin or the like 2l, preventing the follower from sliding oil the rod. The other end of the rod is provided with a knurled head 22, having a pin 23 arranged for a bayonet joint or other easily effected connection with a recess in the end of flanges i3. Between the head 22 and flange I8 is a compression spring 2H which serves to urge the follower toward the front of the machine 'or toward the left as seen in Figures l, 3, and 4, feeding the staples to position under the end of the plunger.

Secured to the vertical flange l2 at the front of the frame is a housing 25 which carries the driving mechanism. This is secured to the flange l2 as by machine screws 2t and is provided with two upwardly extending lugs 21 carrying adjacent their upper ends a pivot pin 28 upon which is mounted an actuating lever 29, having at its free end a hand lgrip 3l). A spring 3l passing about the pivot holds the lever in its upward position as shown in Figure 1. The frame parts i and il, housing 25 with its lugs 21, and rear part of base l constitute in effect a framework supporting the operating parts. This framework is made of separate pieces only for convenience in manufacture, but in use functions as a single part.

A pivot pin 36 connects a link 3l to the lever' Eil at a point nearly above the vertical ange of the bracket. This link is connected by a pin il to the upper end of a plunger arranged to reciprocate vertically in the housing 25 immediately above the die-shaped recesses 3, guides being formed for it in the space adjacent the flange l2 of the frame, so that upon being moved downwardly it will drive the rst staple of the series carried by the frame, clinching its points in the recesses 3. A bolt 52 is set in a tapped hole in the enlarged upper end of the plunger 39 and forms an adjustable stop which, by engagement with the frame at l2, limits the downward motion of the plunger.

A space is provided in the housing forming a continuation of the plunger guides, and having abutments or shoulders le so that the first staple in the series must remain immediately below the end of the plunger. The end of member I9 is bevelled at its side as shown at il! to guide the staples into the space between plate lil and shoulders on their dewnward movement.

A substantially C-shaped retainer l2 is arranged to move upwardly and downwardly within the housing, the hollow of the retainer fitting over a pin 43 passing through the housing and the retainer being urged toward the plunger by a spring 4d secured to the housing as by rivets lli. The lower end il of the retainer is arranged to project under the end of the plunger and the web of the first staple, as shown in Figure 3, when the retainer is in an uppermost position and the upper end of the retainer is arranged to engage the head of a pin Ile fastened to the plunger. The position. of the plunger 39 in Figure 3 is that at which the plunger starts to drive a staple and is a triiie below its uppermost position, which would be, as shown in Figure l, with the head 45 engaging the upper arm of retainer 42. Y

The operation of the driving mechanism is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

The operator. having filled the magazine with staples, inserts the forward end of the shoe under the sheets of' material which he desires to staple together. As previously indicated, he can do this with one hand. Then he presses downward on the handle 3i) of the lever, which de- -presses the plunger 39 until its lower end contactsthe upper surface of the web of one staple.

During this motion the head of Vpin it is moved away from the retaining member lll?, the staple is pressed upon the projecting lower end 47 of this member, and then the plunger, staple, and retaining member all move downwardly tcgether, the spring 'li pressing the retaining member against the plunger and frictionally braking or restraining its motion so that it holds the staple tightly against Ythe end cf the plunger until the upper end of the: retaining member meets the transverse pin When this happens, the pressure of the plunger, transmitted through the staple, rocks the retaining member in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figures 3 and 4) permitting the staple to pass beyond end lll, but by the time this has happened the ends of the staple have already engaged the die surfaces 3 and are being turned inwardly. Further motion of the lever clinches and lattens the staple, firmly securing the articles together.

If the lever is moved part way down and then retracted before clinching the staple, the head of pin Il@ raises the retaining member and retracts the staple before the next succeding staple has had an opportunity to pass into the guides adjacent shoulders 4B, so that it is impossible to at one time get two staples intothe path of the plunger. Jamming of the apparatus is thus prevented.

Due to the narrowness of flange 5, it is possible to slide the shoe into narrow slots, such for instance as are formed between successive tabs of shingle strips. Also, the staples being broader thanthe flange, they may be caused, if this should be desired, to span such slots.

The device` may also be used for stapling together two slightly spaced sheets of material, or to secure two spaced sheets to a single sheet bridging the space.

The entire device can be placed and actuated by the operator while keeping only one hand upon the handle S of the lever, so that when working upon steep' roofs or the like he may always have one hand free to h old himself in place.

A large leverage is provided so that relatively heavy staples, for instance about one sixteenth of an inch in cross section may be used, and as the lever is positioned above the base any tendency to tilt the device in operation is overcome.

While I have described the illustrated embodiment of my invention in some particularity, obviously many others will readily occur to those skilled in this art, and I do not, therefore, limit myself to the precise details shown and described but claim as my invention all embodiments, variations and modifications thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A fastening device comprising a framework, a plunger reciprocable therein, a retaining member, the retaining member being free to move within guideways within said framework whereby it may reciprocate with the plunger, said guideways also permitting oscillation of the retaining member toward and from the plunger, resilient means urging said retaining member against the plunger, and inter-engaging means between the plunger and retaining member.

2. A fastening device comprising -a framework having a channel-shaped passage therethrough adapted to receive a series of channel-shaped staples or the like, resilient feed means arranged to feed said staples -along said passageway, guideways in said framework intersecting the end of said passageway, a plunger slidable within said guideways, a stop formed in said framework permitting only one fastener to be fed under said plunger at a time, a die fixed to said framework in alignment with said plunger, a lever pivoted to said framework, and a connecting link pivoted to said lever and to Said plunger, the framework beneath said passage being of less width than the pass-age whereby the framework may be slid into a space narrower than the span of the staples.

3. A fastening device comprising a rigid framework, a die carried thereby, a movable plunger carried by said frame-work and movable toward said die, feed means successively supplying fasteners to a position between said plunger and die, the framework having a recess facing the one side of the plunger, a substantially channelshaped retainer in said recess free to move toward the die in contact with said plunger, and yieldable means holding said retainer with one ange against said plunger and one iiange underlying the end of said plunger to retain a fastener against the end of the plunger as it is being moved toward the die.

4. A fastening device comprising a rigid framework, a die carried thereby, a movable plunger carried by said frame-work and movable t0- ward said die, feed means successively supplying fasteners to a position between said plunger and die, the framework having a recess facing one side of the plunger, a substantially channelshaped retainer in said recess, means holding said retainer with one flange against said plunger and one flange underlying the end of said plunger to retain a fastener against the end of the plunger as it is being moved toward the die, and a stop passing through the recess of the retaining member and secured to the framework for limiting the motion of the retainer.

5. A f-astening device comprising a rigid framework, a die carried thereby, a movable plunger carried by said framework and movable toward said die, feed means successively supplying fasteners to a position between said plunger and die, the framework having a recess facing one side of the plunger, a substantially channel-shaped retainer in said recess, means holding said retainer with one flange against said plunger and one flange underlying the end of said plunger to retain a fastener against the end of the plunger as it is being moved toward the die, a stop passing through the recess of the retaining member and secured to the framework for limiting the motion of the retainer, and a projection on the plunger extending into the open side of the retainer and of substantially less size than said open side.

6. A fastening device comprising a frame member having two parallel flanges enclosing a channel-shaped space, a second frame member of generally channel-shape having its anges bearing upon the first mentioned frame member and spaced from the flanges on the iirst mentioned frame member whereby a substantially E-shaped space is provided enclosed by said two frame members, feeding means positioned Within the central bar of the E-sh-aped space, a substantially channel-shaped follower connected thereto and slidable along this space between the two sets of iianges, means rigidly securing said frame members together, said first mentioned frame member having a central flange parallel to and narrower than the space defined by said two first mentioned flanges, and a base secured to said flange and projecting laterally to both sides thereof.

7. A fastening device comprising a framework having a channel-shaped passage therethrough adapted to receive ya series of channel-shaped staples or the like, resilient feed means arranged to feed said staples -along said passageway, guideways in said framework intersecting the end of said passageway, a plunger slidable within said guideways, a stop formed in said framework permitting only one fastener to be fed under said plunger at a time, a die fixed to said framework in alignment with said plunger, and means for operating said plunger to drive a staple against said die, the framework beneath said passage being of less width than the passage whereby the framework may be slid into a space narrower than the span of the staples.

8. A fastening device comprising a rigid framework, a die carried thereby, a movable plunger carried by said framework and movable toward said die, and feed means successively supplying staples to a position between said plunger and die, the framework intermediate said die and said feed means and in line with said plunger being of less width than the span of the staples, whereby the frame may be slid into a space narrower than the span of the staples.

ARTHUR J. STOCK. 

